Reconfigurable payload systems (RPS) with operational load envelopes for aircraft and methods related thereto

• US 10,202,193 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3harris Technologies Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hodge, Ben D., Troup, Timothy W., Cropper, Richard D., Stokes, Brandy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Application Number:
  US15/612,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20170267349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 7/00 Arrangements of military equipment, e.g. armaments, armament accessories, or military shielding, in aircraft; Adaptations of armament mountings for aircraft dropping bombs or the like B64D1/00; armaments or mountings therefor per se F41
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F

Abstract

Reconfigurable payload systems (RPS) and methods of configuring and using the same with operational load envelopes are disclosed that may be employed to enable external aircraft payloads to be rapidly interchanged or swapped out together with associated internal equipment within a given aircraft so as to modify or change payload capability of the aircraft, e.g., to meet a particular mission and/or to enable use of future payload types as they are developed. The RPS and associated methods may be implemented to allow multiple different payload systems to be swapped in and out on a given aircraft as required based on needs for a given mission.

Claims

1. A method of modifying a fuselage of an existing aircraft having an unmodified aircraft loads envelope with a reconfigurable payload system (RPS) that comprises one or more external payload attachment features configured to be mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of a fuselage of an aircraft, the one or more external payload attachment features being configured to be attached to external payload components, external fairings, or a combination thereof, where the external payload attachment features comprise one or more mounting adapter sections, where the method comprises:

defining a baseline reconfigurable payload system (RPS) configuration that is configured to support a given survey of selected interchangeable external payload components, interchangeable internal payload components, and/or interchangeable external aerodynamic fairings;

determining an RPS loads envelope of total permissible aircraft loads by fuselage locations for the baseline reconfigurable payload system (RPS) configuration, the total permissible aircraft loads including the sum of unmodified aircraft loads for the existing aircraft together with RPS aerodynamic loads, RPS internal payload loads, and RPS external payload component loads by fuselage location;

providing a modified aircraft by modifying the aircraft fuselage with the baseline RPS configuration to accommodate the RPS loads envelope, the RPS loads envelope including aircraft load limits that are greater than the load limits of the unmodified aircraft loads envelope of the existing aircraft;

defining new operational RPS load limits for the modified aircraft that are within the RPS loads envelope; and

modifying the existing aircraft fuselage by mechanically attaching the one or more external interchangeable mounting adapter sections to an exterior of the aircraft fuselage to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage of the aircraft;

where each of the one or more external and interchangeable mounting adapter sections comprise multiple separate interchangeable mounting adapter sections that each has opposing first and second sides;

where the second side of each of the multiple separate interchangeable mounting adapter sections is provided with at least one of;

one or more payload rails provided on the second side of the mounting adapter section and having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations, or

multiple payload hardpoints provided on the second side of the mounting adapter section that are each configured with a hardpoint fastener location with the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced and configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations;

where the method further comprises mechanically attaching a first side of each interchangeable mounting adapter section to the aircraft fuselage such that the multiple separate interchangeable mounting adapter sections are mechanically attached to the aircraft fuselage in adjacent end-to-end manner to extend longitudinally across the given section of the aircraft fuselage; and

where the method further comprises at least one of;

mechanically attaching the multiple interchangeable mounting adapter sections to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails of the different mounting adapter sections, and aligning and attaching the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to simultaneously attach the mating payload fastener locations to the mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations to mechanically attach the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter sections positioned between the aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the rails of the two or more mounting adapter sections supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position spaced apart from the aircraft fuselage, or

mechanically attaching the multiple interchangeable mounting adapter sections to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the different mounting adapter sections, and aligning and attaching the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to simultaneously attach the mating payload fastener locations to the mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations to mechanically attach the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter sections positioned between the aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the hard points of the two or more mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position spaced apart from the aircraft fuselage.

2. The method of claim 1, where each of the interchangeable mounting adapter sections includes payload rails and/or payload hardpoints;

where the existing aircraft does not include the interchangeable mounting adapter sections; and

where the method further comprises modifying the aircraft fuselage by adding the interchangeable mounting adapter sections to the existing unmodified aircraft by mechanically attaching the one or more external interchangeable mounting adapter sections with the payload rails and/or payload hardpoints to the exterior of the aircraft fuselage.

3. The method of claim 1, where the one or more external and interchangeable mounting adapter sections comprise at least one interchangeable mounting adapter section having opposing first and second sides with multiple payload hardpoints provided on the second side of the mounting adapter section;

and where the method further comprises mechanically attaching a first side of the interchangeable mounting adapter section to the aircraft fuselage, and attaching multiple different types of interchangeable external payload components to the multiple payload hardpoints with the mounting adapter section positioned between the aircraft fuselage and each of the interchangeable external payload components.

4. The method of claim 1, where the mounting adapter section includes two or more parallel payload rails, each of the payload rails being configured with multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations;

and where the method further comprising selectably attaching multiple different types of interchangeable external payload components to at least a portion of the multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the payload rails.

5. The method of claim 1, where the mounting adapter section includes multiple payload hardpoints, each of the payload hardpoints being configured with a hardpoint fastener location and the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced;

and where the method further comprises selectably attaching multiple different types of interchangeable external payload components to at least portion of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations.

6. The method of claim 1, where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations, the multiple mounting adapter sections being mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails of the different mounting adapter sections;

and where the method further comprises;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

7. The method of claim 1, where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes multiple payload hardpoints that are each configured with a hardpoint fastener location with the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced and configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations, the multiple mounting adapter sections being mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the different mounting adapter sections;

and where the method further comprises;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of one or more interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of a first set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections that are mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of the fuselage of the aircraft by at least a portion of a defined pattern of fuselage fittings attached to the aircraft, each of the modular mounting adapter sections having a given length and being configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage;

then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the one or more external payload components mechanically coupled to the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;

then removing the interchangeable external payload components from the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and removing the first set of modular mounting adapter sections from the fuselage fittings;

then using at least a portion of the same defined pattern of fuselage fittings to mechanically couple a second set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections to extend across at least a portion of the same given section of the fuselage of the aircraft, each of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections having a length and being configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage on the aircraft, the second set of modular mounting adapter sections including a different number of modular mounting adapter sections than the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/or including one or more modular mounting adapter sections having a length that is different than any of the modular mounting adapter sections of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;

then aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of one or more interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage; and

then using the same aircraft to fly a second mission with the one or more external payload components mechanically coupled to the second set of modular mounting adapter sections;

where a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/or where a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections such that the same configuration and spacing of payload fastener location pattern that is complementary to and configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is also complementary to and configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of a first interchangeable external payload component simultaneously to multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of a set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections that are mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of the fuselage of the aircraft;

then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the first interchangeable external payload component mechanically coupled to the set of modular mounting adapter sections.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of a first set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections that are mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of the fuselage of the aircraft by at least a portion of a defined pattern of fuselage fittings attached to the aircraft, each of the modular mounting adapter sections having a given length and being configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage;

then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the one or more external payload components mechanically coupled to the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;

then removing the first set of modular mounting adapter sections from the fuselage fittings and using at least a portion of the same defined pattern of fuselage fittings to mechanically couple a second set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections to extend across at least a portion of the same given section of the fuselage of the aircraft, each of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections having a length and being configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage on the aircraft, the second set of modular mounting adapter sections including a different number of modular mounting adapter sections than the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/or including one or more modular mounting adapter sections having a length that is different than any of the modular mounting adapter sections of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;

then aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of one or more interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage; and

then using the same aircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled one or more external payload components mechanically coupled to the second set of two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections;

where a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/or where a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections such that the same configuration and spacing of payload fastener locations that is complementary to and configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is also complementary to and configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising mechanically attaching the interchangeable mounting adapter sections to the exterior of the aircraft fuselage to extend across a given pressurized section of the aircraft fuselage;

where the available RPS loads envelope includes an allowable combination of external payload component load and external fairing load outside the aircraft fuselage with internal fuselage payload component load inside the aircraft fuselage, the internal fuselage payload component load including crew positioned within the given section of the aircraft fuselage; and

where the method further comprises;

mechanically attaching the first set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings to the interchangeable mounting adapter sections at locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope by fuselage locations; and

using the modified aircraft to fly a mission with the one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings mechanically attached to the interchangeable mounting adapter sections with aircraft crew positioned within the given pressurized section of the aircraft fuselage.

12. The method of claim 1, where the baseline RPS configuration that corresponds to the determined RPS loads envelope comprises structural modifications to existing aircraft structure of an existing fuselage of the aircraft that is not capable of supporting the external interchangeable mounting adapter sections together with the attached external payload component loads, aerodynamic loads and internal payload component loads at the given locations within a given section of the fuselage;

and where the method further comprises modifying the existing aircraft fuselage by adding external structural modification components and internal structure modification components to the existing aircraft structure of the existing aircraft fuselage to strengthen the existing aircraft structure to provide the available RPS loads envelope of total permissible aircraft load that is capable of supporting the external interchangeable mounting adapter sections together with the attached external payload component loads, aerodynamic loads and internal payload component loads at the given locations within a given section of the fuselage.

13. The method of claim 12, where the internal structure modification components comprise strengthened frames and intercostals added between original equipment manufacturer (OEM) structural frame components;

and where the method further comprises adding the strengthened frames and intercostals between the OEM structural frame components to the existing aircraft structure of the existing aircraft fuselage to strengthen the existing aircraft structure to provide the available RPS loads envelope.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting and mechanically attaching a first set of the one or more interchangeable mounting adapter sections to an exterior of the aircraft fuselage to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage of the aircraft;

selecting a first set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings for attachment to the modified aircraft;

evaluating the first set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings for installation on the modified aircraft at locations for compliance with RPS loads envelope by fuselage locations;

then mechanically attaching the first set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings on the first set of interchangeable mounting adapter sections at locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope by fuselage locations; and

using the modified aircraft to fly a first mission with the first set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings mechanically attached to the first set of interchangeable mounting adapter sections at the locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

then selecting a second and different set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings that is different than the first set of one or more external payload components for attachment to the modified aircraft;

evaluating the second and different set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings for installation on the modified aircraft at locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope by fuselage locations;

then mechanically attaching the second set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings to the first set of interchangeable mounting adapter sections at locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope by fuselage locations; and

using the same modified aircraft to fly a second mission with the second set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings mechanically attached to the same first set of interchangeable mounting adapter sections at the locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

then removing at least a portion of the first set of one or more interchangeable mounting adapter sections from the aircraft fuselage;

then selecting and mechanically attaching a second and different set of one or more interchangeable mounting adapter sections to an exterior of the aircraft fuselage to extend across at least a portion of the same given section of the aircraft fuselage of the aircraft, the second set of interchangeable mounting adapter sections having a different mechanical configuration than the removed portion of the first set of one or more interchangeable mounting adapter sections;

then selecting a second and different set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings that is different than the first set of one or more external payload components for attachment to the modified aircraft;

evaluating the second and different set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings for installation on the modified aircraft at locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope by fuselage locations;

then mechanically attaching the second set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings to the second set of interchangeable mounting adapter sections at locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope by fuselage locations; and

using the modified aircraft to fly a second mission with the second set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings mechanically attached to the second set of interchangeable mounting adapter sections at the locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

removing one or more of the first set of one or more external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings from the modified aircraft;

then evaluating the modified aircraft without the removed external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings at locations for compliance with the RPS loads envelope by fuselage locations; and

then using the modified aircraft to fly a second mission without the removed external payload components, internal payload components and/or aerodynamic fairings at the locations in compliance with the RPS loads envelope.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a first set of one or more interchangeable external payload components;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the first set of interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage, or aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the first set of interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage; and

then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the mechanically coupled first set of one or more external payload components.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

then selecting a second and different set of one or more external payload components;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the second set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the second set of interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage, or aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the second set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the second set of interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage; and

then using the same aircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled second set of one or more external payload components after flying the first mission.

20. The method of claim 19, where the components of the second set of payload components have different dimensions and different weight than the components of the first set of payload components;

where the aircraft has a longitudinal axis; and

where each of the components of the first and second sets of payload components have the same configuration and spacing of payload fastener location pattern that is complementary to and configured to align and mate with different combinations of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to allow each of the individual payload components of each of the first and second sets of payload components to be selectably positioned and repositioned on the multiple separate mounting adapter sections in any one of multiple different longitudinal positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

then removing the first set of one or more external payload components from aircraft after flying the first mission;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on a second and different aircraft to mechanically couple the first set of interchangeable external payload components to a fuselage of the second aircraft, or aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on the second and different aircraft to mechanically couple the second set of interchangeable external payload components to the fuselage of the second aircraft; and

then using the second and different aircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled first set of one or more external payload components after flying the first mission.

22. The method of claim 21, where at least the number or length of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on the second and different aircraft is different than the number or length of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on a first aircraft of the first mission;

and where;

the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rail of the mounting adapter sections of the fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft so as to allow the same mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adapter sections of each of the first and second aircraft to mechanically couple the same interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft, or

the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the mounting adapter sections of the fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft so as to allow the same mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on the mounting adapter sections of each of the first and second aircraft to mechanically couple the same interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft.